Fire Departments teach safety tips during ‘Fire Prevention Week’

October 10, 2013

Altus —It’s time for Fire Prevention Week and the Altus Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to remind local residents to ‘Prevent Kitchen Fires.’ The Altus Fire Department would like to invite the public to their 26th Annual Clown Show on Friday, Oct. 11, at the City of Altus Auditorium. The show will start at 1:15 p.m. and is free to anyone.

During this year’s fire safety campaign, fire departments will be spreading the word about the dangers of kitchen fires, most of which result from unattended cooking, and to teach local residents how to prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.

The Altus firefighters are getting ready for their 26th Annual Firefighters Clown Show. Every year the Altus Firefighter Clowns and Sparky the Dog put on a show for Altus and surrounding area elementary students during Fire Prevention Week to demonstrate fire safety tips and teach the students about the importance of a smoke detector, trick-or-treat safety tips and this year’s campaign, the dangers of kitchen fires.

According to the latest NFPA research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

“Often when we’re called to a fire that started in the kitchen, the residents tell us that they only left the kitchen for a few minutes,” said Jerry Abbott, Altus Fire Chief. “Sadly, that’s all it takes for a dangerous fire to start. We hope that Fire Prevention Week will help us reach folks in the community before they’ve suffered a damaging lesson.”

Among safety tips, firefighters and safety advocates emphasize:

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.

If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.

If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three away from the stove.

Altus AFB Fire Department is also hosting several events for Fire Prevention Week with displays and demonstrations at various locations around the base, meant to encourage families to prioritize fire escape planning and practice, and also to showcase actions firefighters must accomplish in their emergency response activities.

Events throughout the week include the 3rd annual Group Commander and First Sergeant challenge, where competitors take part in a charged hose